Friday Finds 4.2.2010

Sam: Book Worship

Former Dwell senior designer Shawn Hazen has more websites than any other human being—even his four-year old son has a blog ferchrisakes! When he's not busy doing actual work, or making robot t-shirts with his kids, or documenting the use of grid-systems, or just updating his design blog, he trawls musty, moldy, dusty, cantankerous used bookshops (I have accompanied him on a few of these mildly thrilling expeditions) in search of amazing book designs of yesteryear. It's a subject Shawn has some experience with—as he designed quite a few titles for our buddies Chronicle Books back in the day. Book Worship is a site for those of us who only judge a book by its cover.

Dakota: Typography Exhibition in Raleigh, NC

My good friends and NC State college of design alumni Jaime Van Wart and Critter Wentworth are putting on a typography exhibition tonight in downtown Raleigh for the First Friday art walk. In their own words, "we like lettering and type. we are especially inspired and influenced by nearly forgotten letterforms, everyday letterforms, the latin alphabet, and words people say."

If you are in the triangle area, you should stop by before the end of April, when the exhibition ends. These two are awesome folks and they are extremely passionate about their work. They would love to meet you. PS, my other kindbuds Bryan Costello and Robert Fisher will be playing in their band Kid Future downstairs. Raleigh rules.

Aaron: Esquire's Spring 2010 Black Book Preview Video

Though another little fashion video featuring handsome men in expensive suits is hardly reason to stop the presses, that Esquire Magazine has seen fit to suggest that those handsome besuited men of 2010 are architects and designers did picque my interest. Granted, the video only gently suggests that architecture is the dapper dans' trade, but watch closely and you'll see blueprints spinning in one gent's head, another wanders down a Saarinen-esque hallway. The vid by Departamento certainly makes the case that grown-up men wear suits, and some of them, the cool ones anyway, are designers.

Amanda: Malaysian Graphic Design Archive

This site is devoted to tracing, mapping and documenting the development of graphic design in Malaysia, as well as giving voice to the importance of protecting and preserving visual history. Separated into categories ranging from newspapers and magazines to coupons and travel posters, the works reflect the country's political past. via Design Observer.

Jordan: Peeps Show IV

I will readily admit I'm much more of a Cadbury's Creme Egg kinda gal, but Peeps definitely get the glory around Easter time. The Washington Post held it's fourth annual diorama contest featuring everyone's favorite marshmallows, and the tableaus are pretty genius (apparently there were over 1,000 entries! Yowza!). After scrolling through, my favorite was actually the winner, and first one featured, "EEP", with a brightly-colored popsicle-stick house and big batch of bunny balloons. Perfect.